‘Bomb Gaza’ app pulled by Google after public outcry

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict has seeped into our app stores, as Google recently removed two different Android games from its online marketplace for putting players in charge of bombing Gaza.

Both of the titles have
been blasted on social media for turning the violent Middle
Eastern conflict – one in which more than 1,800 Palestinians and
more than 60 Israelis have been killed – into a game.

The first game in question is simply called “Bomb Gaza,” and was
uploaded to the Google Play store on July 29, according to
The Independent. In less than a week, the app
was downloaded over 1,000 times before being removed on Monday.
Though it’s no longer available, screenshots show that the game’s
instructed players to drop bombs on Gaza in order to hit
militants, but to try and avoid striking civilians and children
at the same time. When civilians were killed and the game’s “rage
meter” went too high, the game ended.

As reported by Fox News, when people started getting wind of
the game’s existence, its Google Play page was covered in
critical comments and calls for the its removal began getting
louder.

“Please take this off the [P]lay store,” one user wrote,
as quoted by Fox. “It is offensive and I am really let down
that Google actually allowed this. If this game isn't removed,
I'm starting a Google boycott.”

“This is disgusting,” another commenter stated. “ …
Cannot believe Android let this game in the market, absolutely
disgusted!”

Another game called “Gaza Assault: Code Red,” meanwhile, was also
removed on Monday after being on the market since July 17. As in
“Bomb Gaza,” Mashable reports that this game asked players to use
bombs to destroy terrorist cells by striking buildings and other
facilities, although in this case civilians are nowhere to be
seen. A screenshot of the game reads, “Finish the fight … and
bring peace to the region!”

Following outrage on social media and elsewhere, a Google
spokesperson said the company does not comment on specific apps,
but that it “remove[s] apps from Google Play that violate our
policies.” According to Mashable, the two games were
officially taken down on Monday.

While Google did not detail which policies the games would be in
violation of, a look at their developer guidelines shows that the company does not
allow “hate speech” or “violence and bullying” on its store:

- Violence and Bullying: Depictions of gratuitous violence
are not allowed. Apps should not contain materials that threaten,
harass or bully other users.

- Hate Speech: We don't allow content advocating against
groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin, religion,
disability, gender, age, veteran status, or sexual
orientation/gender identity.

As noted by the Daily Dot, however, these aren’t the only two
games on Google Play featuring the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
There are at least three games based on the Iron Dome missile
defense system. One of them asks players to tap away as many
missiles as possible before they hit a city, while another tells players to “destroy any
incoming foreigners missiles or terrorists.”

Gaza isn’t the only target of these games, though. One game
called “Rocket Pride” has players take control of
Palestinian “resistance missiles” in order to guide them through
the Iron Dome’s defenses and hit various targets.

While “Bomb Gaza” and “Gaza Assault” have been taken down, the
rest of these games are still available to download now.